This vast army knows only the Microsoft way, and will consider no other.

You included "small consultants" in your army's list. I would differ slightly with you on that. I cannot believe that I am unique. I truly "only know the M$ way" but I am definitely considering alternatives (hence are my handful of clients). In the past few years the luster has really come off the Microsoft pearl for many more than me trying to scratch out a living. Even for Microsoft, if it is a "really bad idea" they can't get even their most faithful to adopt it (witness BOB, .VBD files, etc.)

My anecdotal evidence is that what one might call the "true believers", (the VB crowd), has really been turned off by .Net. And the VB crowd is their biggest crowd.

Of course, YMMV ;-)